


Rumors of death

by killerweasel



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-18
Updated: 2012-11-18
Packaged: 2017-11-19 00:54:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/567218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/killerweasel/pseuds/killerweasel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John gets news from an unexpected source.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rumors of death

Title: Rumors of death  
Fandom: _Sherlock_  
Characters: John, Sebastian Moran  
Word Count: 1,030  
Rating: PG-13  
Warnings: mentionsof character death  
A/N: AU after _203 The Reichenbach Fall_

It had only been a week since Sherlock’s death. John was very tired of dealing with reporters wanting to know all about his friend the ‘fraud’. So when there was a knock at the door, John fully expected to find yet another reporter to irritate the hell out of him. He’d never dreamed he would find Moriarty’s right hand instead.

He knew for a fact the man in front of him was Sebastian Moran. Mycroft had shown him the man’s picture months ago. He knew this man was incredibly dangerous. Even as injured as he was, John didn’t doubt Sebastian could kill him if he put his mind to it. John wouldn’t go down without a fight and he wasn’t entirely confident he could beat the other man if it came to that.

Knowing all that, John had still allowed the man entry into 221B. Maybe it was because he was wounded and the doctor inside of him couldn’t turn a wounded man away without helping him at all. Maybe it was because he’d found himself craving some danger and excitement. Or maybe it was because of the look on Sebastian’s face when he said he needed to ask John something about Moriarty. John recognized that look. He had a very similar one whenever anyone mentioned Sherlock.

Sebastian suddenly hissed in pain, clutching at his side. His fingers came away covered in crimson. John ordered him into the loo where he could repair any damage without worrying about staining the floor with blood. He got out supplies he’d normally used on Sherlock and waited for the other man to remove his torn jacket and shirt.

While John dealt with the wound, Sebastian spoke softly. He’d had a general idea of what Moriarty was going to do on the roof and he had come to the conclusion if Moriarty died, his empire would go with him. Sebastian had no intention of running things and there was no way in hell he would allow anyone else to take over. The moment the criminal underworld discovered Moriarty was dead, all hell would break loose. Everyone would scramble to take over territory and the body count would be incredibly high.

Sebastian decided to take things into his own hands. The majority of the heads of the various organizations in London recognized him and knew he was Moriarty’s right hand. They didn’t think anything was suspicious about a meeting being called where everyone was asked to attend. The news about Sherlock’s death (and how he was a fraud, not to mention Moriarty was supposedly an actor hired by Sherlock) hadn’t hit the papers or television yet, he had a very short window of time to do this, and all of them came to the location he’d chosen.

They had never suspected the room had been wired with enough explosives to take down a building. Sebastian was very good at what he did, probably one of the best in the world. That was part of the reason Moriarty had found him in the first place. He’d waited until everyone was seated before excusing himself the way he normally did. Then he blew them and the building up.

John remembered seeing something about a building exploding on the news the night Sherlock died. The reporters thought it might have been caused by a gas leak. He wondered if Mycroft had anything to do with the story. No doubt Mycroft’s people had known exactly whose bodies were recovered from the ruins of said building.

Sebastian sat back when John finished stitching the wound closed. He gave John a small smile before continuing. It turned out the injury was from a mugger. Sebastian had been lost in thought, wandering up and down the streets and alleys, when a man had approached him, demanding his wallet. Sebastian had laughed, thinking the whole thing ludicrous, when the man had stabbed him. Sebastian used the mugger’s own knife to kill him.

He realized he wasn’t too far from 221B and made his way to John’s door. Sebastian still wasn’t sure why he’d come, he just felt like it was something he had to do. He took a deep breath before asking John if Moriarty was really dead. He’d watched Moriarty put a bullet through his own skull from a nearby rooftop, but hadn’t seen the body afterward. He’d been too busy dealing with other matters.

John looked away from him for a moment. There had never been any mention of Moriarty’s death (or the death of actor Richard Brook) on television or the newspapers. The only death reported on had been the suicide of Sherlock Holmes. John assumed this was also Mycroft’s doing. Mycroft had identified Sherlock’s body and wouldn’t allow John to see it. No matter what John said, Mycroft refused to let him view it. When it became very clear Mycroft was preventing him from seeing Sherlock, John demanded to see Moriarty’s body instead. He wanted proof the consulting criminal was dead.

At first Mycroft hadn’t allowed him to do that either, suggesting John should go home. John finally snapped, lashing out with a clenched fist. He had almost broken Mycroft’s nose. Judging by the shock on Mycroft’s face, he hadn’t been expecting such a reaction. John asked him again and this time he’d been permitted to see Moriarty.

John focused on Sebastian while confirming Moriarty’s death. He saw a dozen emotions flash across the other man’s face, the last being grief. Sebastian took a couple of deep breaths before getting to his feet. He put his shirt and jacket back on, wincing as his new stitches pulled. He didn’t thank John for dealing with the wound, but John hadn’t really expected him to. The wound wasn’t why he had come. Sebastian had come because he wanted the truth.

He walked with Sebastian to the door of 221B. Sebastian started to walk outside and then paused, turning to look at John. He asked if John was sure Sherlock was really dead. He’d heard a rumor someone was dismantling Moriarty’s oversea empire. A smile slowly spread across John’s face. Sebastian matched it with one of his own and then walked away.


End file.
